FIM Announces Provisional 2012 Calendar

Motorcycling governing body, the FIM has announced an 18-race schedule for the 2012 MotoGP World Championship and although on the face of it, much remains the same, there are a number of question marks hanging over next season.

Three races on the calendar are included on the basis that contractual issues are sorted which may prove particularly difficult in the case of the German Grand Prix. The Sachsenring, host of the event since 1998, announced earlier this week that they will no longer be a part of the championship, leaving the Nurburgring and the Lausitzring as the likely candidates to take over.

The races at Jerez and Estoril are also in doubt for contractual reasons and with the Portuguese race one of those to make a loss in recent years, its place on the schedule isn't certain by any means.

The annual night race at Qatar will kick off the season but MotoGP fans will have to wait an extra three weeks, with the curtain raiser not taking place until April 15th.

Silverstone holds on to its slot in the middle of June while the Japanese GP will take place in October once again, although this year's race was originally penned in for April. The Motegi round will form part of an Asia triple-header with Malaysia and Australia following back-to-back, a timetable that will test the teams to the limit.

In a much more sensible move, the two United States GPs will follow each other in the middle of summer, although Moto2 and Moto3 will not travel to Laguna Seca due to a lack of paddock space.

Looking further ahead, Argentina will return to the calendar in 2013 after Dorna announced a three year deal the race to be run at the AutÃ³dromo Termas de RÃ­o Hondo in the Santiago del Estero province.